A finely cast and hammered Neo-Assyrian bronze bowl featuring a hemispherical container with a flattened base. Its slightly convex walls slant upwards, leading to a flat rim. The base of the interior is decorated with incised concentric circles. Both the interior and exterior of the bowl are covered with beautiful dark patina and some earthy encrustations. Signs of wear as consistent with age, such as minor scratches to the surface of both the interior and exterior. Slight crack to the base. In the Iron Age Mediterranean, handles and footless bronze bowls featuring hemispherical containers and curved profiles were richly ornamented with Greek and Etruscan motifs. However, bronze bowls of this kind originated in the ancient Near East during the Iron Age. Differing from the Greek and Etruscan parallels that were normally used for religious occasions, ancient Near Eastern bronze bowls were used by the elite as a daily luxurious object. Measurements (circa): W 14.6cm x H 4.2cm Provenance: Ex London Collection, formed between 1990-present.